Know the Different Types of HVAC Systems

If you have done an assessment for energy efficiency in your home, maybe had additional installed insulation, and you are hiring a cooling or heating professional, then it is now time to decide on the best HVAC system for your place. Nowadays, newer systems offer a lot of options including multiple stages of cooling and heating, and variable fan speeds.

Zoned HVAC Systems

These can cool or heat individual areas of your house through controlling zone valves and zone dampers inside the ductwork or vents that block the air flow selectively. Zoned HVAC systems may save you money and energy through only cooling or heating particular areas whenever you need it.

Single and Multi-Stage HVAC Systems

Single-stage HVAC systems are popular in cold winter climates and humid and hot areas because the systems are set to give comfort for the warmest or coldest days of the year. Yet, this also means that most of the time, such heating systems are running at full capacity when they do not need to be. This is where multi-stage system comes in handy and may save you money and energy. You may also get single-stage system with different fan speeds to make variable air flow.

Humidity Control

Dehumidifiers and humidifiers may be added as options to cooling and heating systems and if you are living in humid or dry climate, such upgrades must absolutely be on your list. Over 50% relative humidity is optimal for human beings. With such systems, you may control the levels of humidity automatically in a home as you cool and heat, even if it isn’t available through the forced-water heating system that uses boilers. With dehumidification or humidity systems designed into furnaces or air conditioning units, you can’t control the levels of humidity once the system isn’t turned on. If you want to, you may add separate systems for dehumidification or humidity.

Retrofit Options

There are times that you not have to replace your cooling and heating system you have and may get by with a key. There are tons of possibilities that are cheap and may save you money. In oil- and gas-fired furnaces or boilers, adding vent dampers close off air loss up the chimney when the furnace or boiler isn’t running. The intermittent ignition devices turn off the pilot lights in the older systems when not required. Minimizing the size of gas burner can downsize any oversized system effectively.

Basically, there are countless kinds of HVAC systems you will find in the market. If you are confused with the options and you don’t know which to pick, you can always ask for help from the professionals. The first thing you should do is to ask for consultation. Make sure to tell the professionals about your needs and preferences for them to give you the options that would fit for your unique requirements. You must also set your budget as not all HVAC systems are made affordable, some are really expensive, yet definitely worth your investment with their features.